My internal alarm clock went off at 4:00 am this morning.

Well, that’s when the narcotics I’ve been prescribed gave away to the signals being sent via my battered neurons in my back. Ain’t nothin’ else out there that can compare to waking up in intense pane (just kinda puts a glow on your whole day).

We’ve been playing around with schedules… trying to find the best possible times to get certain things done during the day, so that I’ll be on a routine when my wife goes back to work on monday.

We’ve decided that I get my lovenox injection first thing in the morning (around 6:40 am). My wife gives it to me, as I can’t look down at my own damn stomach. Then it’s drugs and such and business as usual until about 8:00 pm, where my wife gives me a sponge bath (can’t shower for at last a week yet). She dresses me in clean clothes and I’m good for another 24 hours in that respect.

When you’re locked in a damn body brace, with a layer underneath and a layer on top (to hide it), it gets pretty damn warm. The brace itself is made of a hard plastic about 1/4 inch thick with a thin foam pad on the inside. Sweat starts to collect in the brace shortly after putting it on, and any wrinkles in the t-shirt you’re wearing under the brace become nearly unlivable after a few hours (and leave you with those nasty read creases in your skin).

You have no idea how damn good a sponge bath can feel!

There isn’t much other news. I am getting quite a few hits from here as of late (about 100 in the past few days), yet there’s no link from there to here (curious). If anyone knows why… let me in on it!

I’ve been in the hospital since Monday and it’s looking like I might just be here for a few more days.

I’ve had some complications so to speak (my intestines just kinda shut down and refuse to start up again and now I’m running a low grade fever). Great times! I had planned on having some swell write-up about it all by now, but then again, I was supposed to be home by now (this is the first time I’ve gotten access out of the hospital.

Oh… and for those who are dying to see it… I present to you, the loyal viewer… a photo of my naked ass:

Yes… those are bruises that run completely around my body. Feels really great too!

I’ll post something more if and when I ever escape from this place.

My appointment for my surgery is in about an hour.

At 8:45 PST this morning, they wheel me in and do their thing. Thee and a half hours later, it should be done.

I won’t be able to update or reply to email until at least thrusday or friday.

See you then!

I’ve managed to post 200 messages of meaningless dribble since I’ve installed Movable Type last September.

Yay, me!

Last night was my 14th wedding anniversary. I picked up a lovely white gold and tanzanite flower bracelet from Zales. They packed it in a cute teddy bear. She loved it!

Then, we went for dinner at an italian restaurant, Tomato Street, The food was less than stellar and the service was slow, but we had a fantastic time. We talked to each other and laughed quite a bit during the 2 hours it took between walking in and leaving (the food took forever to come). Afterwards, we went home and sat around, drinking beers and talking till midnight.

I am truly blessed to share my life with my wife.

In other news… today is my last real day of work for a while. I’m taking a personal day tomorrow so I can get all those things that need to be taken care of prior to my surgery done. I still have some tasks due here at work that I just don’t have time to finish… so I’m taking my laptop with me and will fill in the blanks while I’m out.

The guys are taking me out to lunch today, and I’m hoping that we can have a beer or two after work (since I won’t see any of them for quite a while).

I realize that this post isn’t all funny and stuffs… I’ll try to do something more entertaining later.

I spoke to my neurosurgeon today for my pre-op meeting. For those who aren’t following along… I’m scheduled for a L4-L5 spinal fusion on Monday morning.

Apparently, there’s been a change in plans, and he’s now going to be coming in from the back rather than going in from the side. This means that I need to wear a brace during the healing process.

We had to rush downtown to the company that makes the braces so that I could get measured from every direction. Everything from the height of my nipples to how far my stomach sticks out had to be written down. Great fun!

I also got the full skinny on what they’re going to do. It basically involves deck screws and wedges.

Here are some pictures:

Wedges (well… they’re called “cages”), filled with a synthetic auger and my own bone marrow

Oh yeah… I’m gonna get screwed! These damn things are long!!

And finally… a picture from the back side. I’m gonna be built with Kenex! (ignore the “bone graft” they show in this image… I don’t get that)

I’ll be in the hospital for 3 – 4 days. Don’t forget to send flowers and/or beer (lots of the latter please!!)

I did ask if they could video tape the procedure but was told that they wouldn’t. Apparently, some woman who had taped her surgery sued because she found the conversation between her neurosurgeon and his assistant durring her surger offensive (hell… she was under at the time… and they weren’t even talking about her). They just don’t do it at my office.